The Time Has Come
by greyknightwench
Summary: He always said he would just disappear. [GSR]
1. Breakdown

The Time Has Come

Chapter 1 – Breakdown

**"The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out."**  
-- James Arthur Baldwin (1924-87), American writer, critic

The birds were just coming alive. Chirping their sweet morning songs. The sun had been up for less than an hour, the sky still a soft pink color. Daylight poured through the blinds of the dim apartment.

Sara Sidle yawned and wandered around her room, closing blinds and turning down the covers. It had been her first night off in weeks. She was surprised at herself when she found herself looking forward to the weekend. She figured she would relax and catch up on her schoolwork. She had been working towards her masters in physics but with the hours she worked it was damn near impossible to get any real work done.

She had spent her first night poring over her English and history work, two subjects that always made her yawn. Exhausted from the hours spent at her desk, she took a long shower and was ready to fall into the bed when she heard the knock on her door. Hoping it wasn't some brat selling candy—she had been visited by more than a few in the last few days—she made her way to the door. With a resounding 'no' already in the back of her throat, she grasped the handle and pulled the door open.

Trying to keep the shock from showing on her face, she took a small step back. It definitely wasn't a kid selling candy. Gil Grissom stood on her porch, hands in his pockets, hair a complete mess. His normally bright, blue eyes, eyes that normally made her heart stutter, were now tired looking. Like he had seen too much, spent too much time looking at the worst that human kind had to offer.

His job had finally gotten to him.

"Hi, Sara," he mumbled with a voice so dejected she had to wonder if she had ever heard it before.

"Griss, what's wrong?" She stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter.

His stride was slow, labored, like he was doing his best to just move his legs.

After Sara closed the door, she made her way to the living room. Grissom was staring out her window, silent except for the tick of his watch.

"Are you alright?" she asked, hoping to get some sort of reaction.

Her concern for him was palpable as he slowly turned, bringing one hand to massage his neck. She again noticed the wariness in his eyes, the thin line of his lips.

"I couldn't think of anywhere else to go. Catherine made me go home, but I didn't want to be alone, didn't think it was a good idea. I'm sorry if I'm intruding, I'll…I'll leave and maybe go to Jim's." He muttered as he started to walk back to the door.

She had never seen him like this. His speech was broken, his stance nervous as he moved past her. She reached her hand out and grasped his arm, just above his elbow.

"Wait, Grissom. Don't leave. You're more than welcome to stay here. Have a seat," she said as she led him to the couch that sat against the wall. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Water would be nice." He spoke in barely more than a whisper before bringing his fingers to his temple, rubbing it in a telltale sign.

"Migraine?" She grabbed two waters from the fridge.

He nodded as she handed him the cold bottle.

"I think I have some Motrin. I don't know if it would help."

"It won't. But thank you anyway. And thank you for the water." He responded as he sipped the water.

There was a long stretch of silence. Sara was about to ask him what happened when he started to speak. His voice was haunted, his eyes closed most of the time.

"It was called in as a double homicide. Two bodies found in a house in Mesquite. It didn't look much different than most crime scenes. One adult male found in the living room, skull apparently bashed in, and one teenage male body found in the back yard, with a bullet hole in the head. The mother was catatonic; the paramedics took her to Desert Palms."

He paused to drink more water before continuing.

"Catherine, Warrick and I processed the scene. Warrick took the perimeter while Cat and I did the inside. The teenager had a .38 pistol in his hand…GSR all over his hand and head. There was…a uh…bloody baseball bat in the living room, about three feet from the father's body. It was a signed bat…the case on the wall was shattered."

He stopped at this point, setting his bottle down and rubbing his eyes. He looked as if he was about to cry. His eyes were bloodshot and brimming with unshed tears.

"He killed his own father Sara. He bashed his skull in and then shot himself." A lone tear had escaped his eye, slowly falling over his tired face to rest on his jaw line.

Sara didn't know what to say. She didn't attempt to offer soothing words or say she was sorry. She did the only thing she could think to do. She got up and sat next to him. Slowly, hesitantly, she put her arm around him, offering the only comfort she could.

After a minute he seemed to relax somewhat, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"We did a tox screen on the kid. He was hyped up on crack, had been for a while. When the mother came out of it she told us what had happened."

He shuddered and drew in another breath. She held him close and hoped that telling her would help him.

"The boy had come home and found his father wailing on the mother. Closed fisted punches from what the x-rays show. No words were spoken, the kid looked somewhat calm for someone doped up, according to the mother. He just broke the case, grabbed the bat and killed his father. Then when he realized what he had done, he apologized to his mother, grabbed the gun from a drawer in the kitchen and shot himself."

"My God…" whispered Sara as she wiped the tears from her own eyes. She never understood why people did what they did sometimes.

Knowing Grissom like she did, she didn't have to wonder how this had upset him so much. She found herself, yet again, at a loss for words.

"I…I couldn't fall apart in front of the team. Doing that wasn't even an option. So I tried to keep it bottled up…tried to hide what I was feeling. I ended up yelling at Greg when he asked me a question about his case. Catherine suggested I go home take some time off. I was driving towards my house thinking about what I would do with my off-time when all that I could see when I closed my eyes were the bodies and the mother's face as she recounted her story. I thought of going to Jim's or maybe even Catherine's house…but they don't have the same passion or need for the job like I do. Next thing I knew I was pulling up to your place."

"I…I can't do this anymore Sara. I can't keep finding dead kids and battered women. I can't do it…" he whispered as he finally broke down, the tears flowing freely.


	2. Have To Get Away

The Time Has Come

Chapter 2 – Have To Get Away

"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live."  
-- Marcus Aelius Aurelius (121-180 AD), Roman emperor, philosopher

Grissom's eyes opened slowly as the scent of fresh coffee filled the air. He looked around, not quite remembering where he was. He took in the deep purple walls, the eclectic furniture and the tall brunette humming to her self in the kitchen and it all came back to him. The images, the facts, the embarrassing memory of falling apart in front of her all came flooding back to him as she made her way out to the living room, pausing briefly to notice him.

"Hey there. How are you feeling?" she asked, handing him the mug of coffee.

How was he feeling? Physically he was fine. His body felt somewhat rested and the warmth from the coffee mug was relaxing him. But emotionally he was a wreck. For once in his life he didn't know what to do, where to go. Even if he left Sara's apartment, what was waiting for him, a few spiders and some dead butterflies? For some reason the appeal of being alone just wasn't…appealing anymore.

"I don't know." He answered with stark honesty. He saw the surprise on her face. It was probably the first time he ever gave her a truly honest, no bullshit answer. "Thank you for the coffee."

"No problem."

There was a moment of silence that stretched for what seemed like an eternity before Sara stood up and went to the kitchen to re-fill her coffee mug. "I've got an idea."

Grissom stared at her as she crossed her arms and leaned against the counter top.

"Do you trust me?" She asked

He didn't have to think about it. "Yes I trust you. What's this about?"

Sara smiled. "Go back to your place and pack a bag. Two days worth of clothes should do it. I'll be by to get you in an hour."

Grissom looked at her. What was she on about? "Sara…I don't understand."

"You need to get away. I need some time off, so we're going to get out of here."

"But…" he wasn't allowed to continue as she took his coffee cup away and ushered him to the door.

"No buts. You just need to trust me on this. I'll take care of everything."

Grissom stared at her for a moment. Maybe she was right. Maybe a little time away would do him good. He nodded and left.

He packed what he thought he needed, enough clothes for two days, toothbrush, beard trimmer, deodorant and cologne just in case. He thought about not bringing it, but something told him he should. He had no idea if they would be going anywhere that required a tie, so he threw one in just in case, along with his suit in a garment bag. He hoped he wasn't being too presumptuous. For one almost laughable minute he was reminded of the movie "As Good As It Gets". He stopped laughing when he realized how much he had in common with Melvin Udall.

His musings were interrupted by a knock at his door. He sighed as he picked up his bags and headed for the door. 'Here goes nothing' he thought to himself as he followed Sara to her car.

For a brief moment after Grissom left, Sara almost felt unsure of herself. She didn't know if what she was planning was a wise choice or not. The idea didn't last long however. She knew that they both needed a break and after making the proper reservations and ticket purchases, she headed to the lab.

She didn't think it would be a problem to get the time off, but she was still surprised when Catherine offered to take care of the paperwork and Ecklie.

"I saw him at the scene Sara. He needs to get away from all of this. I'm sure that whatever you have planned will do him good," Catherine said after Sara thanked her for her help. "Just…make sure he actually relaxes a little. He tends to dwell on things for longer than he needs to."

"I'll take care of him Cath."

Catherine smiled. "I'm sure you will. Now get out of here. I'll see you back here Monday night."

Sara smiled and left, pausing briefly to say a quick goodbye to Warrick, Nick and Greg.

The thought of Catherine knowing that she was taking Grissom away almost made Sara panic. But as she merged onto I-15 south, she realized that Catherine wasn't the type to blab about something like this.

The car was comfortable and quiet for most of the trip. Occasionally Grissom would point out something along the way, explaining what he knew about it. She found that just listening to him talk was relaxing in itself.

By the time they crossed the Nevada/California state border his curiosity got the better of him.

"Okay…where are we going?"

Sara smirked. "You'll see."

"Sara…" he sighed, obviously giving up but not happy about it.

By the time she had turned onto CA-14 S towards Los Angeles, she could see that the nervous tension had left him. He sat relaxed, lightly tapping his foot to the beat of the music playing on her stereo.

"What are we listening to?" He asked.

"Musiq." She responded

He gave her an annoyed glare. "Smartass."

She couldn't help but laugh. "No really the guys name is Musiq. Spelled with a Q at the end instead of a C."

He looked at her with a mix of humility and amusement. "It's good."

"You think so?"

"Are you surprised?" he asked as he shuffled through her CD collection.

"A little. I never thought you would like rhythm and blues."

"I like a wide variety of music. It just depends on what mood I'm in. I prefer classic but I can respect most music."

As the road they were on turned into Valencia Boulevard Grissom turned to look at Sara. "Wait a minute."

Sara looked at him briefly as they came to a stoplight. "What is it?"

"I know where we're going."

"Do you now?"

He just raised his eyebrow at her as the light turned green.

Ten minutes later they pulled up to the Hilton Garden Inn, directly across the street from the entrance to Six Flags, Magic Mountain.

Sara parked the car and turned off the ignition.

"Thank you for this Sara." Grissom said, almost whispering.

"No need to thank me. I needed this just as much as you."

After checking in they stepped into the single room and set their bags down.

"Sorry about the single room. It's all they had on such short notice." Sara stammered as he looked around the spacious room.

"It's fine Sara. There are two beds." He said as he deposited his bags at the foot of one of the queen beds.

"Very true."

She checked her watch and looked out the window. "The park doesn't close until ten but their pool looks really tempting."

Grissom nodded as he pulled various items out of his bag.

"Would you like to join me?"

Grissom seemed to think about it for a moment as he held onto his shaving kit. "Sure."

Sara couldn't help but smile as he reached into his bag and pulled out a pair of dark blue swim trunks.

The California sun beat down, heating up everything in its path. The hotel pool was surprisingly unpopulated for this time of day. There was a family near the shallow end, their small girl splashing in the mother's arms. The father was sitting in a plastic reclining chair, a newspaper open in front of him.

A few other patrons were tanning themselves, turning over now and again to even out the process.

Only one person was actually doing laps.

He shouldn't be staring, he knew that, but the way her lean body cut through the water, her toned arms pulling her along and her long legs kicking behind her, she was a sight to behold. Every other stroke she would tilt her head to take a breath, and in those moments Gil Grissom had to remember to breathe.

It's not like he never noticed it. Good Lord the woman had driven him insane since she had made fun of his methods years ago, stating that they made computers for simulations and that dropping dummies off of buildings was "old school."

They were so different back then. They could flirt and tease each other all day long without a second thought. But somewhere along the line it started becoming uncomfortable, the dance they shared. He hadn't realized, or maybe didn't want to recognize, that there were real feelings involved. Hearts were on the line and when he had rejected her dinner offer he could tell he had broken hers. He felt horrible about it afterwards but at the same time was too scared to do anything.

Then came Debbie Marlin. He pushed himself too hard on that case, pushed himself hard enough to admit his feelings…albeit in a roundabout way. He knew she had heard him. Jim told him later that she was behind the two-way the whole time. He was mortified, scared shitless at the idea that she now knew. He pushed her away even more after that.

After she had gotten her DUI he realized that he couldn't keep pushing her away. He had tried in his own way to re-connect with her. Nothing seemed to work and he was afraid that he might have been too late. Then she got suspended and he did what he thought he could never do. He was there for her. The emotionally unavailable man finally became available.

After that things seemed to get better. Sara seemed to radiate self-confidence. Establishing herself as strong person, someone not to be trifled with.

And while Sara got better, Gil got worse. He threw himself into his work, more so than he normally did. He couldn't remember getting a good nights sleep in a long while. Most of his "off" time was spent reviewing old case files, the ones that got away, until that's all he saw when he closed his eyes.

He had been thinking about quitting for some time before this last case but every time he considered it he would think about not seeing Sara again and promptly shelve the idea. He had already admitted to himself that he needed her, wanted her by his side. The only question now was when would he admit that to her?

His melancholy inner musings were interrupted when Sara propped her arms on the side of the pool and called to him.

"Hey Griss, the water's great. You should put down that book and jump in."

Gil thought about it for a moment. He really didn't want to show more skin than he had too. He was already slightly uncomfortable wearing swim trunks and a blue Hawaiian print shirt.

"Come on. That shy act can only get you so far." She taunted him as she floated on her back.

He still didn't want to get in, but seeing her in her crimson bikini was convincing enough. Besides, it would feel good to wipe that arrogant smirk off her face.

Standing up, he unbuttoned his shirt and kicked off his sandals. He looked up, startled as he heard a low whistle.

Sara was treading water and smiling at him as he dropped his shirt. "Not bad Bug man. Not bad at all."

He could feel himself turning red with embarrassment. He looked around, afraid some of the other guests had heard her. Much to his relief nobody seemed to notice.

"I don't like being mocked Miss Sidle." He growled as he toed the water to test the temperature.

"Well I apologize Dr. Grissom, but I wasn't mocking."

His mouth hung open as he stared at her. He didn't consider himself very attractive and to hear her compliment him was just a little too much to comprehend at the moment. While he was processing what she had said she had swam up to the edge and before he saw what she was doing she had grabbed his ankle and pulled him in.

He hit the water with a resounding splash, causing the family at the shallow end to laugh along with Sara. He came spluttering to the surface, wiping the water from his face.

"You better swim fast Sidle. Swim far and swim fast because I am going to drown you."

Sara giggled and splashed at Grissom before swimming off to the shallow end, where the family had just vacated. Grissom ducked under the water and swam towards her. Reaching out he grasped her around the waist and lifted her out of the water only to toss her a few feet away from him.

She came to the surface laughing and splashing water.

"What did you do that for?"

"I felt like it."

She looked at him for a minute then before he could prevent it; she put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him under. He reached blindly out and grasped her leg. Pulling on it, he yanked her under as well then surfaced. In return she had grabbed a hold of his wrist and hauled him towards her. He sucked in a small breath when he realized just how close they had become. His hand was still holding her leg, under the knee and her hand was still gripping his wrist. Passing onlookers would take one look and think they were doing anything but just joking around. They were close enough feel each other's breath, see the water dripping from each others eyelashes.

Gil would later excuse his next actions as just the result of being overly stressed, or his emotions running high because of the last case. Whatever the reason was he found himself unable to resist kissing her wet lips. At first she didn't respond, too shocked he supposed, but after a moment she kissed him back, snaking her arms around his neck as she opened her lips to him.

Why hadn't he done this before? He asked himself as he slipped his tongue past her moist lips, tangling his hands in her damp hair. Then she moaned and he broke away, suddenly remembering where they were.

"I'm so sorry Sara." He said backing away.

Sara reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I uh…I'm gonna go sit in the spa for a while."

Gil wanted to say something, anything to make the moment seem a little less awkward. But as usual his inadequacies caught up with him at the most inopportune time. He watched her walk up the steps and cross to the circular spa. 

Sighing, he raked his hands through his hair and pulled himself out of the pool. Grabbing his towel and discarded clothes he headed back to the room, all the while wondering why he had messed everything up yet again.

Sara let her head fall back against the smooth surface of the spa as the jets hit her back and shoulders. She didn't close her eyes for fear of the images that would come forth when she did.

It had felt so good to be in his arms; his solid frame molded against hers, his hands tangled in her hair, his soft, full lips pressed against hers. For that moment in time, everything seemed perfect in her world. She felt like all the crap she had gone through in the past year never happened, all the horrible cases, the issues with her mother, they all just seemed to disappear. Then, just like it always happened with her, it ended, abruptly and painfully. She should have known better than to believe that this time would be different. It was always the same with Grissom. He'd pull her close then push her away. He'd been doing it for years. So why had this time felt different? He'd never let himself get this close to her before. It just didn't make any sense.

She stayed in the spa for a few more minutes before finally getting out and heading back to the room. By the time she got back to the room she was resigned to the fact that Grissom would never let himself that close to her again. Pity, he was one damn good kisser.

When she stepped into the room, she noticed the shower was running and his clothes were neatly laid out on his bed. For one weak moment she couldn't resist reaching out and running her hand over the soft fabric of his polo shirt. Grumbling at her weakness she pulled her towel tighter around her waist and stepped closer to the window. She could see the lights from the various roller coasters in the park and wondered, not for the first time, if this trip was one giant mistake.

She heard the door to the bathroom open and turned just as Grissom stepped out. His hair was wet, his skin flushed from the steaming water. The towel around his waist hung low on his hips, revealing more skin than she had seen in the pool earlier. She couldn't help but stare for a moment before asking if he was done with the bathroom.

He seemed embarrassed standing in nothing but a towel, his hand holding the towel together clenching and un-clenching.

"Yeah, the bathroom's free." He said not moving from where he stood. "Sara…are you hungry at all?"

She stared at him for a moment, wondering what the hell he was trying to accomplish. "A little I guess."

"I was headed down to the hotel restaurant if you'd like to join me." He said, toying with his belt buckle that was sitting on the bed. 

"I'll think about it Griss. I might just order some room service and catch a movie." She said in a voice that wasn't too sure.

He looked somewhat disappointed that she hadn't just agreed to go with him. "Okay. I'll be in the bar if decide to come down."

She couldn't think of anything to say, the tension in the air distracting her from her train of thought.

She walked past him and into the bathroom, softly shutting the door then leaning against it.

Half an hour later she sat on the edge of her bed, her towel still wrapped around her. She had thought about Grissom's dinner invitation, going over the meaning behind it until she finally gave up. She would never know what his reasons were unless she asked him. He was so hard to read, so hard to understand. It was one of his worst qualities and one of the biggest reasons she was attracted to him. He was a puzzle, a mystery that she would gladly spend an eternity solving.

With that in mind, she got dressed and headed downstairs.

As she entered the quiet hotel eatery and bar she looked around for Grissom. She eventually found him where he said he'd be, at the bar nursing a beer. His back was to her; his shoulders slouched as he raised the amber filled mug to his lips.

She let a small smile form as she walked towards him.

A/N: Special thanks goes to Dara, my wonderful Beta reader. Thanx girl.


	3. Coming Together

Chapter 3 – Coming Together

"This--this was what made life: a moment of quiet, the water falling in the fountain, the girl's voice...a moment of captured beauty. He who is truly wise will never permit such moments to escape."  
-- Roger Bannister

He didn't expect her to meet him. He didn't even expect her to talk to him again. He had been sitting at the bar, nursing his Budweiser and berating himself for his actions earlier. When would he learn? When would he finally wake up and realize he could be happy, if only he could get over his own crippling inhibitions? It was while he was mentally punishing himself that she sat at the stool next to him and ordered her own bottle of amber comfort.

He turned his head and let a small, relieved smile form. "You came."

She twisted the bottle in her hand. "Yeah I did."

And here it was, the moment he had dreaded. That awkward moment where he would normally shut down, change the subject and avoid anything that was too personal. The tactic was so familiar to him, yet now as she sat next to him in a bar far away from the fluorescent lab lights, he realized he didn't want to avoid her any longer. In fact he never wanted to avoid her again. The realization shocked him, but at the same time it strengthened his resolve. The time for distancing himself from her was over.

"Would you like to find a table?" he asked, hoping to gain a little privacy.

"Sure"

They got up and took their drinks to a booth that was half in the shadows, out of the way enough to give a sense of seclusion. She sat across from him and took a swig from her bottle.

"Sara, I want to apologize again about earlier."

Sara smiled sarcastically. "You already apologized Griss. It's okay, I get it."

Grissom smiled as he took a fortifying swig of his beer. "I know I apologized earlier Sara, but I need you to understand the reason why I apologized."

"I understand completely Grissom. You let yourself go, it wasn't something you were planning and you regret it. There's not much to get."

Grissom sighed. "I don't regret kissing you Sara. How can one regret something they have been wanting for years?"

Almost choking on her beer, she stared at him, eyes wide. "What?"

"I wasn't apologizing for the act of kissing you…I was apologizing for the timing." When she didn't say anything he continued. "I never meant for our first kiss to be in a public pool. It's not something that should be on display for everyone to see."

"So what are you saying? If we were alone…"

"I wouldn't have stopped." He continued for her.

There was a silence that followed that would have been awkward had it not been for the pleasurable buzz caused by the few beers they both consumed.

Sara was silent as she contemplated what he had confessed to her, Grissom was silent as he wondered if telling her the truth was a mistake.

"So now what do we do?" she asked, waiving off the waiter who had asked if she wanted a re-fill.

"I don't know. There are plenty of things I would like to do, but it's not always about what I want is it?"

Sara blushed a little as he fixed his gaze on her. He couldn't explain his sudden disregard for his previous inhibitions. He knew it wasn't the alcohol, he'd only had two beers, and he highly doubted it was the stress of the last case, being so far from Vegas had allowed him to calm down. Maybe that was it. They were away from work, away from prying eyes and loose lips of the lab. Here in this hotel, across the street from what was sure to be an enjoyable day, he could be himself. He could forget all of his reasons for not being with her, all of his meaningless excuses.

"What do you want Sara?"

She seemed taken aback by the question but recovered with lightning speed. "You don't want to know the answer to that question Griss."

She was evading the question. He let a small smirk to form. "Maybe I do."

She started peeling the label from her bottle, frowning as she considered what to say. "I should think that by now it would be obvious what I want."

He sucked in a breath. She raised her eyes up in a challenge. The smirk left his face as he saw the smoldering desire that was blatant in her expression.

"Us guys can be somewhat…dense…sometimes." He swallowed and refocused before continuing. "So I ask again, what do you want Ms. Sidle?"

"I want…to stop playing this silly game. I want to wake up tomorrow morning wrapped in your warm embrace, sated and bone weary after a long night of lovemaking."

His jaw twitched, his heart sped up and the blood rushed south, making him slightly uncomfortable sitting in the confined space of the booth. He wanted nothing more than to grab her hand, take her back up to the room and give her exactly what she wanted. But what would happen later?

"What happens when we get back to Vegas?" Grissom asked, his beer all but forgotten.

Sara stared at him. "I couldn't tell you. I can't say that I would be fine if you wanted to forget anything ever happened. I want more than that."

Grissom smiled. It was just what he wanted to hear, what he needed to hear. If something happened between them it would have to be all or nothing. There was no halfway when it came to Sara Sidle.

He didn't have to say anything to her, his eyes conveyed the fact that he agreed with her, shared her feelings.

"Would you like to accompany me back to the room?" the underlying question was not lost on Sara, her wide grin a sure sign of that.

"Yes I would."

Grissom stood, laying down some money on the table and held his hand out to Sara. She took it, causing him to grin.

The elevator seemed to take forever as they stood side-by-side, slightly awkward with the knowledge that they would finally surrender to this old attraction.

When the elevator stopped on their floor, Grissom hastened to get to their room, his hand clutching the card key. Reaching their door, he turned to Sara. "Are you sure about this? I don't want you to regret anything."

"I'm sure Gil."

He almost lost it right then and there, hearing her say his name like that. With a groan he slid the card key in the lock, opened the door and pulled Sara in with him. As soon as the door was closed he pushed her against the wall, pressing his body close to her as he blindly kissed her. He could feel her hands weaving through his hair, pulling his head closer to her as she opened her lips to him. He gratefully slipped his tongue past her teeth, deepening the kiss as his hands came to rest on her hips. His heart was hammering in his chest, his breathing becoming shallow as he let his hands wander under her shirt.

Letting his lips trail to her jaw line, he skimmed his hands over the warm skin of her back. When they reached her bra he didn't hesitate in unclasping it, eagerly slipping the straps off her shoulders. Her body was now flush against his, her pelvis grinding almost painfully against his pulsing erection. In a sudden move he brought his hands from under her shirt and gripped her butt, hauling her up and against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her the few steps to the nearest bed.

Setting her back on her feet, he held her away from him just long enough to slip the shirt over her head; the bra came with it, leaving her nude from the waist up. The sight before him made him shiver. Here she stood, her breasts and smooth skin exposed and ready for the taking. His hands moved of their own accord, traveling over her shoulders, down her collarbone and finally cupping the soft swell of each breast. She sighed and began pulling his shirt out of his pants. His thumbs rubbed over her taut nipples, causing her to shudder and close her eyes. Soon her hands were on his bare skin, under the cotton of his shirt and he suddenly felt as if he were on fire. He raised his arms up as she pulled his shirt over his head. They stood inches apart, their bodies not quite touching as they took each other in.

Sara's hands wandered over his chest, down his abdomen and back up again until her arms were wrapped around his neck pulling him closer. The shock of skin on skin made them both gasp as their lips met.

Time seemed to stand still as she unzipped his jeans, sliding them over his hips to land in a heap on the floor, along with her pants and their shoes. They both fell back onto the bed, a jumble of limbs, a chorus of sighs and moans as they explored each other's bodies. They took their time, both realizing that they had waited too long to rush things.

For a long time the only thing that could be heard were wet kisses and the occasional moan. When he told her to turn over she was confused, but confusion quickly turned to delight as he covered her back with feather light kisses, taking his time to make sure every inch of her skin had received his full attention. He grinned as he moved his bearded jaw over her pert ass, occasionally nipping the sensitive skin. She was shivering by the time he turned her back over and removed his boxers, her underwear having been tossed away long ago. 

He kissed his way over her stomach to her breasts, taking time to suck on each nipple until she was writhing beneath him, thrashing her head back and forth. She didn't say anything and neither did he as he slowly pushed himself inside of her. Their eyes locked until he was completely sheathed in her wet heat. For a moment they just looked at each other, absolutely awed that this moment had finally arrived. And then everything broke loose, the desire, the passion, all of the frustration that had built up.

He moved inside her, coming in and out with sure, strong thrusts. His moans were muffled into her neck, her sighs audible in the dark room. Her fingers raked down his back, leaving angry, red marks in their wake. His hands slid under her back and up to her shoulders, gripping them as he increased his speed. His moans became grunts; her sighs became labored moans as he came into her with enough force to make even the bed groan beneath them.

He could feel the wave he was riding begin to crest. Pulling his face away from her neck, he looked down at her and could tell from her partially opened mouth and stormy eyes that she too was close.

Bringing his lips to hers, he kissed her with a fierceness he didn't know he possessed. With her legs wrapped tight around his waist and her hands tangled in his hair, she cried his name out, crashing over the edge as he wrenched his mouth from hers just in time to growl her name before he too fell into oblivion.

The last thing he remembered before drifting into a peaceful slumber was the feel of her fingers, softly stroking the moist skin of his back.

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A/N: Big thanx to Dara.

I'm kinda proud of the smut in this chapter, but as always there is room for improvement. So please review and tell me what you think, good or bad.

Thank you.


	4. Interlude

Chapter 4 – Interlude

"We had the kind of night where morning came to soon. We used the light from a flickering candle across the room. To make the kind of shadows that only one thing could make…love." – Janet Jackson

It was still dark when Sara first awoke. She cracked one eye open and glanced out the window at the moon that was sitting halfway behind a dark gray cloud. For a moment she was worried that it might rain, ruining the day she had planned. But when she thought about it, the rain could be a good thing. People tended to stay indoors whenever it rained, and right now she didn't want to ever leave the bed she was in.

She smiled as she felt the man beside her shift, lazily throwing his arm across her back. She turned her head and took a moment to study him. His sleeping face gave away more than he would ever know.

His eyes shimmered back and forth as if the dream he was having was intense, his mouth twitching every so often. The lines on his face were softer, making him look years younger. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world.

He mumbled something incoherent, something that sounded like "No…the cockroach did it." Sara couldn't help but laugh a little, her hand reaching up to touch his lips.

As soon as her fingers touched him his eyes shot open. He blinked a few times as if to acclimate himself to the minimal light produced by the moon. Finally focusing on Sara he yawned and pulled her close. "Morning." He said in a sleep heavy voice.

"Well technically anyway." She whispered.

He glanced at the clock and winced. "Mmm. Too early for breakfast."

"You're hungry already?" she asked.

"With you I'm always hungry."

Smiling, Sara brushed her hand through his hair and kissed him. The kiss soon took on an air of ferocity as they both became alive in the early morning hours. His hands weaved their way through her hair, down her back and lower, pulling her closer to his naked heat.

She sucked in a breath when his lips locked on to her neck, sucking at her flesh as if he was feeding on her. He pushed her until she was on her back, her hair splayed across the pillow. Bringing his lips to hers, he let his hands wander her body, slow and casual caresses. His mouth soon followed, tongue tasting every inch of skin. He made his way down her throat, over her collarbone and across her breasts until he was teasing her naval, causing her to sigh and clutch at the sheets that were balled in her hands.

He looked up at her and whispered, "Look at me Sara."

She opened her eyes and looked down.

His gaze stayed locked with hers as he made his way, slowly, to the juncture of her thighs. Kissing the inside of her legs, he cupped her warm center. He groaned low in his throat, his teeth nipping at the sensitive flesh of her abdomen.

"You're so wet Sara, and you smell so good. It makes me wonder what you would taste like."

Sara couldn't form a coherent thought for the life of her as his tongue started a slow journey around her dripping center; tasting every inch of her except the one spot she so desperately needed him to.

"May I taste you?" he whispered, so close to her skin that she could feel his warm breath blow across her sensitive flesh.

"Please…yes." She managed to say as she reached her hand out to grasp his hand that was resting on her stomach.

"Thank you." He said as he descended on her throbbing clitoris.

Gasping, Sara threw her head back and squeezed Grissom's hand in a death grip. His wet, tongue was searing against her already heated skin. At first his touch was light, making circles around her hardened nub. Every now and then he would swipe his tongue directly across her clitoris causing her to buck her hips uncontrollably off the bed. He alternated between slow circles and direct contact for what seemed like forever until she was shaking with arousal. She couldn't stop herself from shivering, her whole body in convulsions as he continued to devour her. His hand on her stomach moved up to her breasts, his fingers taking each nipple in turn and gently tugging on it.

She broke out in a sweat as he inserted two fingers into her tight opening, his mouth now completely covering her soaked mound. The minute he began to suckle her she exploded. She yelled loud enough to wake whatever temporary neighbors they had and laid there quivering, sucking in deep breaths while Grissom kissed his way back up her body.

"You taste exquisite." He whispered into her ear.

If she were capable of intelligent thought she would have thanked him. Instead she groaned and kissed his wet lips. He rolled onto his back, taking Sara along with him. Still slightly overcome by the orgasm, she threw her leg over his prone body. He smiled that wicked smile of his as she placed her hands on his chest, pushing herself up. Taking one hand she guided his erect cock to her tight opening. Before lowering herself down, she looked at him. "Look at me Gil."

He opened his eyes, his mouth opening slightly as he rested his hands on her hips. His lips were irresistible. Sara leaned down and kissed him hard, lowering herself down at the same time.

He gasped into her mouth, his grip on her hips almost bruising as she rose up and came back down. Breaking contact with his mouth, she placed her hands on his stomach, using her legs to rise up and down. His slick penis slipping in and out of her caused her to almost lose control. She brought her hands behind her, resting them on the top of his thighs as she slammed down onto him. She threw her head back and arched back, pushing her breasts out as she rode him.

"Good God Sara…" Grissom groaned as the bed began to creak.

She couldn't stop, not now. The world outside no longer existed. Her world was narrowed down to this moment, in this room, in this bed. Grissom was getting louder and louder as Sara slammed down onto him, hard enough to make the headboard crash against the wall. Sara didn't care if they woke the neighbors, and from the crazed look on Grissom's face, he didn't care either.

She didn't think she could last much longer, and her control was not something she was paying attention to right now. She felt it coming, felt that pressure that had become so familiar these last few hours slowly build more until it detonated with such intensity that she almost passed out. Her body clenched and convulsed, his name rushed out of her mouth as she kissed him.

Her fuzzy brain barely registered that Grissom hadn't come. She was about to say something when he rose up and positioned her on her knees. How many nights had she lain awake in bed and fantasized about him taking her like this. Fast, hard and completely primal.

"God Sara, you drive me crazy. I've never been this aroused before." Grissom said through clenched teeth as he positioned himself behind her.

He leaned over her and took a handful of hair. Pulling it aside, he ravaged her neck, telling her how bad he wanted her, how long he had wanted her. He pushed himself into her while he talked. "The first time you touched me, outside that Godforsaken apartment building, I was shocked. From then on I ached for that touch again."

Setting up a lazy rhythm, he gently tugged her hair, his other hand reaching down and covering her breast. "I've often dreamed of taking you like this, or against the wall in my office. No pretense, no foreplay, just straight fucking."

Hearing him use such vulgarity, his hands on her breasts, his dick pumping in and out of her, was enough to make her cry out. "Yes, Gil. Do what you want with me."

"That's a dangerous offer Sara. You better be sure." He growled, increasing his pace.

She didn't even have to think about it. "Fuck me Grissom. Fuck me like you want to."

He didn't stop, didn't even hesitate. Yanking her hair back, he straightened up and slammed into her with wild abandon. Sara put her hand up and braced herself against the wall as he pounded into her hard enough to make the bed screech in protest.

She screamed into the pillow as he brought a hand down onto her exposed ass hard enough to make it sting. He spanked her a few more times before he gripped her hips and lost all semblance of control. Pounding away like a man possessed until he came with such force that he collapsed onto the bed in a sweaty jumble of limbs.

Sara curled up next to him, holding him as he calmed down. They lay that way for a while until Sara was sure he had fallen asleep. She started to drift off when he shifted and whispered in her ear, "That was incredible Sara, surpassing every fantasy I've ever had about you."

She didn't know what to say to that. For someone who was usually so sure, able to say whatever was on her mind, she was for once, speechless. She buried her face in his chest and tangled her leg with his.

After a few minutes, she found her voice. "Thank you."

He didn't respond, just kissed her forehead and disentangled himself.

While he was in the restroom, she stretched, feeling her muscles groan. She was going to be sore later. She smiled. But what a good sore it would be.

Gil took stock of his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His hair was tussled and sticking out in odd angles, he had more than one red mark on his neck that was going to be hard to explain back at work and he could feel his muscles screaming at the sudden overuse.

Still, he couldn't help but grin. He meant it when he told her she surpassed every fantasy he ever had. He hadn't been expecting her to be so responsive, so passionate. It threw him off balance like no one had ever done before.

After he cleaned himself up, he slipped his boxers on, wet another hand towel in warm water and left the bathroom.

She was lying on her side, her back to the bathroom, her face buried in his pillow. He couldn't stop himself from staring for a minute or two. The lines of her body were breathtaking in the pre-dawn light filtering through the curtains. Her coffee colored hair barely concealed her nude shoulder.

He slipped into bed, bringing his body flush with hers.

"You took my pillow." He whispered as he started to gently clean her.

Her body shivered when the towel touched her, making the simple act erotic.

"Sorry. It smelled good." She mumbled as she scooted forward, burying her face in the other pillow.

He placed the towel on the nightstand and drew the covers over them both. Lazily throwing his arm over her waist, he pulled her close to him and buried his face in her hair.

"I like this." She whispered as she yawned and covered his hand with her own.

He smiled.

Big thank you to Dara. I can't believe I forgot your e-mail address. smacks self in head

Any reviews, good or bad, are welcome.


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